Sally Williams Fine Foods is a South Africa-based company renowned for its premium handcrafted nougat and gourmet confectionery. Established nearly 25 years ago, the company has built a reputation for delivering high-quality products to markets around the world. Their facility in Johannesburg is both FDA and OU Kosher certified, allowing them to meet the highest standards of food safety and kosher compliance. While the brand is well-established in South Africa, the UK, and Australia, Sally Williams is now focusing on strategically re-entering the U.S. market. 

In this interview with Mark Sack, CEO of Sally Williams Fine Foods, and Trevor Shevil, CEO of Sally Williams USA, we explore the brand’s journey and future plans. Mark shares insights into their world-class, handcrafted nougat and Turkish delight, while Trevor discusses their strategic plans for re-entering the U.S. market, focusing on maintaining quality while adapting to American consumer preferences. Their commitment to innovation and excellence remains at the heart of their expansion efforts. 

OU Kosher: Trevor, could you introduce yourself and let us know about your role in the organization? 

Trevor: I’m based in South Florida. I arrived in the States eight years ago to launch Sally Williams here in the United States. We enjoyed the benefits of introducing this world-class product into the U.S. market. During that time, we worked closely with OU Kosher and managed to get our products into some premium retailers here. 

We view the U.S. and kosher markets as hugely important for us. We’re committed to selectively and strategically re-entering the U.S. market where it makes commercial sense for both us and the brand. 

Current Status in the U.S. Market 

OU Kosher: So it sounds like you’ve built a foothold in the U.S. market? 

Trevor: Actually, we haven’t sold our products here for the past two years, primarily because of the impact of the pandemic on the supply chain. We were on shelves in Trader Joe’s for over two years, which was a great success, not to mention having a presence in a number of gourmet and kosher stores across the US. Now, we’re looking at re-entering the U.S. market.

We’re prepared for selling as soon as tomorrow if needed. We have all the infrastructure ready to go. However, we’re waiting for the right distribution and retail networks before we re-engage. We are in the process of establishing relationships with both retailers and distributors.

One of our major advantages is our factory in Johannesburg, which has the capacity to scale up production whenever we decide to start producing for the U.S. market. We’ve maintained our OU Kosher certification with that in mind. 

Global Reach and Importance of Kosher Certification 

Mark: We currently export to 23 countries, and while many don’t need kosher certification, it’s important for markets like the U.S., UK, and Australia where there are significant kosher consumer populations. 

OU Kosher: Can we talk about your company’s history and your products? 

Mark: Absolutely. Our company was founded almost 25 years ago by Sally Williams. She created a premium brand that has grown significantly, specializing in handcrafted, gourmet nougat. We coat our nougat with Belgian milk or dark chocolate, and it’s a high-end product, quite different from the nougat you’d find in most candy bars. 

We also manufacture Turkish delight, which is another popular product we coat in Belgian chocolate. In South Africa, we hold a 40–50% market share in this category, and our main competitors on the shelf are brands like Ferrero Rocher and Lindt. We export to over 20 countries and continue to grow internationally. 

For me, part of the honor of being involved in a business like this is working with top-class individuals. We have an in-house graphic agency that handles our packaging and award-winning product design. 

The OU is the most widely recognized kosher authority in the world. It was a no-brainer to get this certification, which we knew would make it easier to open doors within the Jewish communities in the U.S. as well as elsewhere in the world. 

Awards and Quality Recognition 

A few years ago, we won the highest accolade in the UK food industry, the Great Taste Award, which is considered the “Oscars” of the food industry. It was a huge honor and helped solidify the uniqueness and quality of our product. The taste, texture, and overall mouthfeel are different from anything else on the market. 

Everything is done in-house, and the food safety standards we uphold are world-class, as Trevor mentioned. Our facility could be anywhere in the world, and we can proudly hold our heads high in terms of the standards we apply and uphold. Coming from a small country at the tip of Africa, we are able to compete very favorably in terms of the value chain and final pricing. 

Market Presence and Cultural Significance 

OU Kosher: So you’re saying that it’s become a tradition? 

Mark: Yes, it’s been a tradition for years. The brand is highly recognized in South Africa, not only among the Jewish community but throughout the country. Since it’s a kosher product and a Jewish-owned business, it’s widely used for weddings, bar mitzvahs, bat mitzvahs, and of course, during Rosh Hashanah because it contains honey and is a sweet product. It’s often given as a gift when visiting for the holidays. 

International Markets and Expansion 

OU Kosher: You mentioned you’re distributing to 20 countries. Where is your biggest market? 

Mark: South Africa is our biggest market, followed by the UK and then Australia. We also export to several Arab countries and a number of countries in Africa, but those are smaller markets that contribute incrementally to the business. 

Kosher certification does add value in the UK and Australian markets as well. The OU Kosher certification is recognized globally as compared to our local South African certification. 

OU Kosher: How do the UK and Australian markets compare in size to South Africa? 

Mark: The opportunities in the UK and Australia are much larger—maybe tenfold in terms of market size. For instance, our biggest account in the UK is Costco, and over the past five years, the business there has nearly tripled. There’s a lot of potential, not just in the UK but across Europe. 

OU Kosher: So you’re in Costco UK. Does that open the door for U.S. Costco? 

Mark:We’re proud of our associations with premium retailers across the globe and together with Trevor, we continue to leverage off these relationships in the U.S. market.

Importance of OU Kosher Certification 

OU Kosher: You’ve been certified with the OU for over 12 years. Why did you decide to get certified, and why did you choose OU Kosher? 

Mark: We initially needed the certification for the European market, but when Trevor came to the U.S. around eight years ago, that’s when we started ensuring our entire range was compliant with the OU. 

The OU is the most widely recognized kosher authority in the world. It was a no-brainer to get this certification, which we knew would make it easier to open doors within the Jewish communities in the U.S. as well as elsewhere in the world. 

OU Kosher: Did the OU certification affect your production process at all? 

Mark: Not really. While the product is largely handcrafted, we do have some automation in place, but it’s not a complicated product. It’s made with ingredients like egg whites, honey, sugar, and glucose, and we add either macadamia nuts, almonds, or cranberries. 

OU Kosher: So you’re producing both parve and dairy products, correct? 

Mark: Yes, we have three different chocolate lines, and we maintain the kosher status of both parve and dairy lines with ease since they’re completely separate and permanently so. 

Innovation and New Product Development 

OU Kosher: Have you developed anything new recently? Is innovation an ongoing process for your company? 

Mark: Absolutely, innovation is crucial for us. For example, this year we launched a licorice nougat, as well as a cappuccino or roasted coffee variant. We’re constantly working on new ideas. Right now, we’re developing some exciting innovations in the chocolate category that should launch early next year. 

Challenges in the U.S. Market 

OU Kosher: Are these new products of particular value for the U.S. market? 

Trevor: In the U.S., nougat isn’t widely consumed as a standalone product. It’s mostly a component of chocolate, like in a Snickers bar. Many Americans eat nougat every day but might not even realize it because it’s just a part of a chocolate bar. This is key to our business—educating the American consumer about the quality and uniqueness of our nougat. 

There’s a lot of effort in marketing and educating the consumer. But ultimately, it’s about getting people to taste it. We’ve established that there’s a unique opportunity here in the U.S. market, and that’s why timing is so important for us when we decide to re-enter. 

Trevor: One challenge we’ve faced is that the American palate is different from the European and South African palate. There’s often more sugar or sweetness in American products, which is something we’ve had to account for in our formulations. We’ve also had to adjust our packaging to suit the U.S. market. 

OU Kosher: So, in the U.S., you’re also selling a premium chocolate product in addition to the nougat? 

Trevor: Yes, they definitely offer an edge. There aren’t many competitors in the U.S. producing products like ours. We’re unique by global standards. 

Mark: We make nougat coated in Belgian chocolate, as well as chocolate bars in our portfolio. 

Trevor: The common thread across all our products is that they contain either nougat or Turkish delight. It’s similar to Ferrero Rocher, where hazelnut is the common ingredient across their range. 

Product Testing and Market Strategy 

OU Kosher: You mentioned earlier that innovation is important. Are there any new products on the horizon? 

Mark: Yes, we always have new products in the pipeline. Innovation is a continuous process for us. 

OU Kosher: Do you do focus groups for new products, or is the development done in-house? 

Mark: We do most of our development in-house, but we have strong relationships with retailers in South Africa, so we use those connections to test our products in the market. The large chain stores here, equivalent to Kroger in the U.S., help us with feedback and product placement. 

Mark: We’re actually able to present the product to buyers based on our relationship with them, and they then present it to their teams and give us feedback. It’s a great closed-loop way of working. 

OU Kosher: And you taste the product yourselves? 

Trevor: Absolutely, yes. 

Mark: And our relatives too—there’s no shortage of people willing to participate in a taste test when sugar is involved! 

OU Kosher: Do you do formal focus groups? 

Mark: No, we fortunately don’t need to. The basis of the product remains the same, so the innovation is usually around packaging or product variants. We’re pretty confident in the group we have here; we tend to get it right most of the time. 

OU Kosher: When you roll out a new product, do you have a marketing flow for that? 

Mark: Certainly in South Africa, where we’ve been operating for many years, we put together a marketing campaign based on the commercial modeling. 

OU Kosher: Are those products generally rolled out globally, or is it more limited? 

Mark: The test bed is usually South Africa. Based on the response there, we roll it out elsewhere. 

Sustainability Efforts 

OU Kosher: On issues of sustainability and supply chain, has climate change affected your business at all? 

Mark: On sustainability, we managed to persuade our existing wafer paper supplier in the Netherlands to move from using palm oil to a more sustainable oil. 

OU Kosher: How has the rising price of cocoa affected your business? 

Mark: Fortunately, we pre-purchased over a year’s worth of cocoa at the old price, which worked out well for us. But as of June next year, the price increases will start to impact us, and we’ll have to account for that. 

OU Kosher: Has that been factored into your pricing? 

Mark: Yes, we’ve prepared for it, but it might affect our prices by mid-next year. In the meantime, we’re maintaining consistency, which is crucial when working with retailers like Trader Joe’s and Costco. 

Advice for New Entrepreneurs in the Confectionery Industry 

OU Kosher: Wrapping up, what advice would you give to someone starting an indulgent product like chocolate or snacks? 

Mark: I’d say the key is having a point of difference. You’re up against big corporates that pay top dollar for shelf space, so you need a great story, great packaging, and the ability to keep going in the face of adversity. 

OU Kosher: And you’ve got all of that? 

Mark: We try. We don’t give up easily. 

OU Kosher: Anything else you’d like to say to consumers? 

Mark: This product is very unique. Anyone in the kosher community who hasn’t tasted it yet is missing out on a delicacy. Once it passes through your lips, it’s hard not to want more. We’ve heard many stories of South Africans traveling abroad and filling their suitcases with our product to give as gifts to family and friends. 

OU Kosher: Thanks to you and Trevor, and please keep us informed about the U.S. market. 

https://sallywilliamsfinefoods.com/our-story/